


A New Tradition

by bri_ness



Category: SKAM (Norway)
Genre: Christmas Eve, Gen, M/M, Siblings, sometimes you've got to write a fic about a character you know nothing about
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 21:42:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17108627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bri_ness/pseuds/bri_ness
Summary: Lea has Isak and Even over for Christmas Eve.





	A New Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the "family gathering" Evakteket Skamenger Hunt prompt. Enjoy!

“Do you like the cheese ball? The recipe’s actually from one of my co-workers: we had it the holiday party and Jakob couldn’t stop talking about it. Right, babe?”

“It’s a damn good cheese ball,” Jakob says. “We made our own crackers, though. Or Lea did, anyway.”

Isak understands his sense of déjà vu, the feeling that he’s experienced this moment in another universe. Ten years ago, he and Lea were eating store-brand crackers with cheddar cheese on Christmas Eve.

It is a damn good cheese ball, but it’s not settling in Isak’s stomach.

“It’s delicious,” Even says as Isak cuts into the cheese ball, spreading it onto his fifth cracker. “Lea, your whole place is lovely.”

That’s weird too, how _Christ_ mas-y her place is. Beyond the usual fare of a Christmas tree and garland, there’s a nativity figurine in the window, Advent candles in the living room, and a framed piece of Scripture: _Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests._

 _What about the rest of us who he doesn’t favour?_ Isak wants to ask, but he promised Even he’d be kind today. In return, Even said they only had to stay for three hours: he even set an alarm.

Isak’s barely seen Lea since she moved out, and when he has, his parents have been around to serve as a buffer. But now that she’s with a new guy she’s serious about—Jakob, who is trying too hard to make Isak like him—she’s invited Isak and Even over for Christmas Eve. Maybe she wants Jakob to be their new buffer. Maybe she’s repenting for abandoning Isak, though Isak’s less confident in his anger about that as he was a couple of years ago. Maybe, as Even suggested, she just wants to reconnect.

But really, how the fuck is Isak supposed to reconnect with Lea when he doesn’t know this version of her? The one who makes homemade crackers and, apparently, is still as religious as their mom? She could’ve cooked for them when their dad left. She could’ve helped their mom maintain her spirituality without believing in her delusions. She could’ve fucking helped.

Isak’s confident in his anger again.

“Thank you,” Lea says. “I should’ve had you guys over earlier to help with the tree. Oh God, Isak do you remember the ancient one we used to have? It was awful: this gigantic, fake thing you had to piece together branch by branch.”

“And everything was coded by letters,” Isak remembers. “But half of them were faded.”

“We’d spend an hour just trying to sort them.”

“ _I’d_ spend an hour sorting them. You’d just start putting them on the tree, fucking everything up.”

“Because it made you so mad!” She directs her next comment towards Even. “Oh my God, he was just this little kid but so self-important. It was so fucking funny.”

“I can see that,” Even says. Isak rolls his eyes.

“I’d make it up to him,” Lea continues. “I always made us hot chocolate when we finished. Fuck, I remember one year—Isak was eight, maybe? And we were about to do the tree, but we didn’t have any hot chocolate in the house. I stole money from Dad’s wallet to walk to the store and buy some, didn’t tell our parents where I was going—I felt like a twelve-year-old badass!”

Isak didn’t know that.

“Then we’d watch one of those shitty Hallmark Christmas movies,” Isak says, the nudges Even with a smirk. “The ones you like.”

“Because I have a heart, thank you,” Even says.

“We’d just shit on them the whole time,” Lea says. “Probably the hardest I ever laughed. I try to watch them with Jakob but, sorry babe, your commentary just isn’t good.”

“Yeah, it’s not the same watching them without you,” Isak says.

“Well,” Lea says after a beat. “We definitely have hot chocolate, and I’m sure there’s one of those movies on Netflix….”

“That sounds nice,” Even says before Isak can object, though he’s not sure if he would’ve.

“Isak, help me in the kitchen?” Lea asks.

There is no universe in which making hot chocolate for four people is a two-person job, but after a nudge from Even, Isak gets up and follows her anyway. As he boils the water, she gets the hot chocolate and mugs from the cupboard, and that’s all there is to do.

“So,” Lea says as they wait. “You still hate me?”

“I never—” Isak starts, but when Lea raises her eyebrows, he opts for honesty instead. It always goes better for him. “I’m not really sure.”

“That’s better than blinding rage.”

“I guess.”

“I want you to know,” Lea begins, then hesitates. “I never meant to leave _you._ I’m really sorry for the shit you’ve had to deal with, but fuck Isak, that house was actually killing me. Do you at least understand that? I mean, you had to leave too.”

He does understand that, but he’s always thought that Lea was older, so she should’ve taken responsibility and stayed. But she was around Isak’s age now when everything went to hell, and no part of Isak feels old. They were both just really in over their heads.

So, Isak just nods.

“I’m sorry I didn’t reach out to you more,” Lea says. “That I don’t have an excuse for, and maybe it’s really obvious that I’m trying to bribe you with hot chocolate now….”

Isak laughs. “It is, but it’s working. Not so much the hot chocolate as the cheese ball, though.”

“A damn good cheese ball.”

“Maybe it can be part of a new tradition.”

“If you come back next year, you’re bringing wine. Cheap ass.”

“Fuck you, I gave you forgiveness. That’s worth more than like, fifty bottles of wine.”

“Good to know you still think highly of yourself.”

They laugh, and Isak’s stomach settles. Once the hot chocolate is ready and they find a movie, Even puts his arm around Isak and whispers, “I heard you guys laughing.”

“Because we’re hilarious.”

“Of course.”

“You can, uh, turn off the alarm. If you’re ok with staying.”

Even kisses Isak’s forehead. “I’d love that. It’s nice to be with family on Christmas Eve.”

For once, Isak agrees.

 


End file.
